During this initial phase the partners want to develop a reliable,
electronic data collection system - either tablet or kiosk-based - that can be
used to collect information directly from patients during every health
encounter.

They also want to develop technology that can integrating clinical and
patient reported data in an engaging visual display to make it easier for
healthcare professionals and patients to communicate about treatment options.

Another aim of the collaboration's initial phase is to 'empower shared
decision making' through the use of visual displays and other technologies that
connect patients and healthcare professionals.

Re-designing the patient experience by seamlessly integrating key technologies, applications and analytical insights has the potential to fundamentally enhance care

Joshua Liberman, director of research, development and dissemination
at Sutter Health, said: "Re-designing the patient experience by seamlessly
integrating key technologies, applications and analytical insights has the
potential to fundamentally enhance care for our patients with COPD.

"We will work with our pulmonologists, patients and Boehringer
Ingelheim to design, develop and test the most promising ideas for use broadly
with our and others' patients."

Sutter Health's network of not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare
providers in Northern California is used by more than three million patients.

The company also has a Research Enterprise unit, which is comprised of 120 staff and
full-time investigators, plus hundreds of physician clinical trials
investigators, who currently conduct more than 740 sponsored studies and trials.

Ruchin Kansal, executive director and head, Business Innovation at
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, said: "By joining forces with Sutter
Health, we hope this collaboration will provide new insights into unmet needs
in care delivery and inform development of new resources for patients."

For Boehringer, whose COPD drug Spiriva (tiotropium) was the company's
biggest-seller last year bringing in €3.4bn, the collaboration continues its
efforts to explore digital health.

Meanwhile, for Sutter it marks its second big pharma tie-up this month, following a research collaboration with AstraZeneca that is set to run for three-years and tackle conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.